I'm out of my depth

[rdoimages]

89 F-350 7.3 with ATS turbo. Last week I couldn't get it to start at all, and I suspected the fuel pump might be bad, I was wrong. I am getting strong fuel at the filter inlet and I am getting fuel from shraeder valve and when I crack an injector I only get drops. It ran great yesterday after changing fuel filter and charging the batteries, but today it won't fire up. My glow plugs are currently not functional, but it in the 60's today.
This is the first diesel I've owned that I have had any issues with and I'm lost.


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[Clb]

Seeins how the last thing ya did was a filter' start there, then check to see if the fuel solenoid is getting power.
Did ya fill the filter first?
Does the truck turn over real fast? Read weak batt. They h8te that.
Try bleeding the injectors .
Try these and report back.

 

[rdoimages]

I had it running after the filter change. It's not spinning fast, I guess I need to check cable connections and charge batteries again and start over. It's got to be losing its prime somehow.


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[sjwelds]

Even in the 60's you really still need a functioning glow plug system. I'd start with that. Next would be cranking speed.

You won't really get just a lot of fuel from cracking an injector line....

 

[rdoimages]

When the turbo was installed by PO, they rigged the glow plug system and I don't know if the controller is still there or not, if it is, it's buried under the intake and they had installed a momentary switch and wired the whole thing ass backwards and the undersized wires burned up. Can you wire the glow plugs without the controller? I searched but the diagrams are confusing and most seem to keep the controller.


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[KZF250]

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?36169-How-To-Manual-Glow-Plug-Switch

 

[rdoimages]

I have read that thread 3 times and all the original wiring and relays appears to be gone or moved. It's frustrating when the PO either hacked or had someone else hack the underhood wiring to bits. The wires on the GP has been changed and has bullet connectors, then someone had wired straight from the big lug on what appears to be the starter solenoid straight to a switch and then to the GP and used like 20g wire to do it. Needless to say, I hit the switch for 10 seconds and the truck about went up in flames.

 

[rdoimages]

I guess I need to pull the Turbo intake and see if the GP controller still exists since I don't see a way to wire the GP without it. I have seen somewhere that someone talked about using a ford starter solenoid to send power through 6-8 g wire to the GP wiring with a momentary switch controlling the solenoid. Seems like it would work, just need to figure out how to wire the switch to the solenoid.

 

[KZF250]

Are you sure that's the starter solenoid? The solenoid for the glow plugs pretty much looks the same and on my truck is close to the starter solenoid. Instead of being wired to the big lug a trigger wire with power and switch needs to go to one of the smaller lugs where the controller originally triggered the system.

 

[icanfixall]

Welcome to the forum. Best idea right now is to check the fuel shutoff solenoid in the top of the injection pump. Easiest way to chek this is turn the key on but engine off. now remove the spade connector on to of the injection pump. the wire you want to remove is the one closest to the radiator. Its the large spade connector. the wire towards the back of the injection pump is the cold internal advance. It has a small spade connector. So you can't accidentally mix them up. Sadly one member did modify these connectors and his engine would start fine but die out after the engine warmed up to 120 degrees.
Now when you remove that wire you want to listen and feel for a click sound. That tells you the solenoid is actually working. If you do not feel or hear this click then run a jumper wire from any battery positive end and feel or listen for the click. If the jumper wire makes the solenoid click then you have an ignition switch issue. There is no problen running around town with a battery jumper wire to the fuel shutoff solenoid. You just can't shut down the engine by turning off the ignition key. you have to remove the jumper wire. You still turn off the ignition but just remove the jumper wire.. I had to do that for a few days when I was having fuseable link issues.

 

[riotwarrior]

Well sounds like there is potential for a real nice truck.

For your issue/s at hand we need to adress several items.

1st start by cleaning pos connections andground connections esspecially at the block! Chqrge batteries ip. STOP HERE!

2nd LOCATE GP CONTROLER and associated wiring. There will be a large rectangular plug 1.25 " x .75 " on pass side goes to engine 10 wires should have 2 yellow leads...usually melted at connector. That is GP FEED.

You need to isolate this gp issue and resolve it ASAP before starter burns out. So lets focus on GP CONTROLER and Gps. Locating the controler and puttkng wiring back to stock IMHO is best. Push buttons are a symptomqtic cure often done to overcome a bad gp or 2 or 3.

This might be a day work but worth it.

Also take a test light attach the clamp to POSITIVE termjnal of bat. Now touch each bullet head of glow plug.....if lights gp should be ok if not dead.

REPLACE GP WITH MOTORCRAFT BERU ONLY is the general concensus here.

I personally replace all gp on a truck I buy because I knkw for sure where I am at. By starting at gp and working back you knkw gp good.

3rd once all electrical issues resolved return to fuel. You cant worry about fuel till the other is resolved or you will be buying new batteries and starters.

Good luck I and many here fully grasp craptastic wiring...I just rewired my gp setup and removed push button because friggen craptastic wiring...btw...starts good now.

JM2CW

 

[icanfixall]

Just something to add about the fuel coming out the lines at the injectors. That will never be like an accelerator pump in a carb spray. Its barely a drop. The majority of fuel is used as pump and injector coolant and lube so it returns to the tanks. We use about 15% of the fuel to burn. the rest goes back as it picks up heat.

 

[rdoimages]

Thank you all for your great advice. I will sort out the glow plug issue and go from there. My old 6.5 gm motor never had any issues like this, it just ran and ran.


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[sjwelds]

Sounds like it's a lot more to blame on the previous owner, not the engine. Once you get undone what the guy before you did, I bet you find this engine to be reliable.

My dad had a 6.5 that blew up, twice. The second time the crank was in 3 pieces. You'll have to talk a long time to convince me that the 6.5 is better than the 6.9/7.3 IH diesels.

rant over

 

[rdoimages]

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This what lives under the hood. There are two solenoids, they are sistered together by the large posts, one is 4 post, one is 3 post, the 3 post is not being used. The gp controller is gone, the two large yellow wires are taped off as is the plug. It is all tucked down under the heat shield for the turbo.


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